


beauty mark

by justicearcana



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: M/M, canonverse, just a lot of pining tbh, mild internalized homophobia?? maybe???
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-18
Updated: 2015-12-18
Packaged: 2018-05-07 09:55:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,262
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5452481
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/justicearcana/pseuds/justicearcana
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ennoshita is the first one to notice, and he doesn’t hesitate to give Daichi a knowing look, one that says "I know what you’re thinking about and I am Very Disappointed in you." Daichi tries to act cool, to play it off like he wasn’t just openly checking Suga out or writing mental poetry about how his back muscles are freckled with moles of varying shades, like stars in the sky. It’s only half working.</p>
            </blockquote>





	beauty mark

**Author's Note:**

  * For [sohma](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sohma/gifts).



> hi!!! so this is my first time writing for a fic exchange, and also my first time writing daisuga, so i hope it's satisfactory! ;~; this started out as just incredibly self indulgent "but what if daichi had a thing for suga's moles" and turned into... this. i'm terribly sorry.
> 
> a tiny warning for internalized homophobia - it's not directly mentioned or explored in depth or anything, but daichi does have some serious denial about his feelings, so if that's going to bother you at all i'd advise against reading! sorry! ;o;
> 
> well... hope u enjoy this mess of a fic. thanks for reading!!!

Sawamura Daichi has never been one for passing infatuations. For him, it’s always been all or nothing. In elementary school, he’s fascinated with trains, and cries when his mother forgets to record the latest episode of _Thomas the Tank Engine._ The sheets on his bed have a cool train pattern on them that he (embarrassingly enough) refuses to change until he’s 11. He sometimes pretends that he’s one of the boxcar children.

As he grows older, his obsession shifts to volleyball, and after that, he’s not interested in much else. Daichi doesn’t _need_ anything else, never even has time for it. By the time he’s in his third year, the sport dominates his entire life. He takes his role as Karasuno’s captain very seriously, and as the single father of eleven rowdy children at age 16, there’s no time for hobbies.

Lately, though, other things have been creeping into his mind. He’ll think about making weekend plans with his co-captain while stretching. He’ll pause in the middle of his studying to take note of how Suga chews on the ends of his pens when he’s concentrating. He’ll try to come up with a drill routine for their next practice, only to end up choosing Suga’s favorite (set and sprints, that bastard).

Sometimes, and _only sometimes,_ Daichi finds himself staring at Suga, too. It’s not anything big, really—just a sideways glance that lasts a little too long during a match, or a wandering eye that strays to his slim figure when they’re changing in the club room. It never lasts more than a few seconds and it never means anything.

But a few seconds is enough time for Daichi to burn those images into his brain. Later, his thoughts drift towards the way Suga’s eyes form crescents after Tanaka hits one of his tosses, the freckle on his cheekbone disappearing under his laugh lines. He knows that this is one obsession that needs to stop, but he can’t help it. Suga is everywhere he goes—practice, prep class, the walk home. It’s just another one of his fixations, he tells himself. Like the trains, only weirder. It’ll pass.

 

 

It doesn’t pass.

Ennoshita is the first one to notice, and he doesn’t hesitate to give Daichi a knowing look, one that says _I know what you’re thinking about and I am Very Disappointed in you._ Daichi tries to act cool, to play it off like he wasn’t just openly checking Suga out or writing mental poetry about how his back muscles are freckled with moles of varying shades, like stars in the sky. It’s only half working.

“What?” he splutters, taking a swig from his water bottle. He tries his best to ignore the heat flooding to his cheeks. Maybe if he pretends it’s from all the exercise they just did, nobody will notice.

“Nothing,” Ennoshita responds with a shrug. The smirk on his face says that it’s not _nothing,_ though, and Daichi gulps nervously.

They finish getting changed and pack up their things, and Ennoshita doesn’t say another word about Suga or Daichi’s weird staring habit. Still, Daichi is uneasy. He decides to try harder at toning down his weird... lust, or whatever it is (he’s hesitant to use that word because this is _Suga_ he’s talking about, after all). The next morning at practice, he keeps his gaze concentrated on the floor beneath his feet, not once looking up to steal glances at his best friend.

He thinks he is doing a pretty good job of acting “ordinary” until he fumbles a receive that he really should have gotten, and everyone stares in surprise.

“Daichi, don’t mind!” Nishinoya claps him on the back, and the atmosphere quickly returns to normal. Daichi is vaguely aware of squeaking sneakers against the gym floor and the familiar shouts of his teammates, but his vision is flooded with Suga—Suga and the small slip of stomach skin that shows when he jumps up to set the ball.

Ennoshita approaches, eyes dark and all-knowing. Daichi pales.

“Nice one, Romeo,” Ennoshita says, cracking a small smile. “Next time try to focus on the ball and not Sugawara’s ass.”

Daichi chokes, the tips of his ears burning red. “I wasn’t--!” he starts, but Ennoshita is already walking across the court to help Tanaka practice his spikes, and there’s no use in arguing what was pretty close to the truth, anyway. He sighs and runs a calloused hand through his hair before returning his attention to practice.

From across the court, Suga gives him a reassuring smile.

Oh, he is so screwed.

 

 

The next person to catch on, unsurprisingly, is Tsukishima. He doesn’t tease like Ennoshita, and instead simply narrows his eyes at Daichi when the realization sets in. Daichi is certain that Tsukishima wouldn’t say anything to anyone, but he can’t have him getting the wrong idea or anything, so he corners him at lunch to give his explanation.

“It doesn’t mean anything, really,” he insists. “He’s just… nice to look at, that’s all.”

Daichi can feel his face turning red, but Tsukishima doesn’t seem to care.

“Look, I don’t really give a shit if you have the hots for him or whatever,” Tsukishima responds, rolling his eyes. “It’s none of my business. I don’t even really get why you’re talking to me right now…?”

They’re in the middle of the hallway, and Daichi looks around nervously to make sure nobody has overheard him. He’s blushing and his hands are clenched into sweaty fists at his side, but he continues on as if nothing is wrong, because that’s what captains do.

“I just don’t want you to think that I… have a crush on him, or something,” he says, lowering his voice. “Because I don’t. He’s just pretty.”

Tsukishima’s face twists up in confusion for a moment before settling into a frown. “Oh. I see,” he says. Daichi blinks. He sees what?

“…just don’t be a dumbass, Sawamura,” Tsukishima finishes before turning to leave. “That’s Kageyama’s job, not yours.”

 

  

Daichi spends the next several weeks dwelling over being called a dumbass by one of his juniors and trying to keep his eyes as far away from Suga as possible. His efforts seem to be in vain, however, because the next person to find out about his little “infatuation” is Tanaka, and he is not nearly as quiet about it as his successors.

“YOU LIKE SUGA?!” he shouts one day in the club room, eyes wide and finger dangerously close to poking out Daichi’s eye. “YOU LIKE BOYS?!”

Daichi claps his hand over Tanaka’s mouth, grateful that Suga had stayed in the gym with Hinata for some extra practice. “What? No!” he protests. The only other people around are Ennoshita (who Daichi figures must have tipped Tanaka off, because how else would he know about this?) and Nishinoya, whose ears have perked up in interest like a dog’s.

“Is that true?” Noya asks, bouncing up to Daichi in excitement. “Wow, I didn’t know he was your type, Daichi-san!”

“Wh—it’s not true! He’s not my type!” His type is softer, shorter, more serious…. definitely not someone mischievous and handsome like Suga, who is all angles and laughter. He likes _cute girls,_ like Yui and Shimizu-san, not pretty boys. It doesn’t matter how smooth his skin is. Suga is definitely not Daichi’s type.

“Then why are you always staring at him like how Hinata stares at meat buns?” Tanaka asks, hands on his hips. “If you’re not into him, then you must be some kind of creep.”

Yes, he’s a creep. Daichi has resigned himself to this fate already, but hearing it from someone else still stings. He winces, trying his best to hide his embarrassment.

“It’s not like that,” he says, using his most convincing Dad voice. Maybe if he goes into captain mode, they’ll be more likely to believe him. That’s one good thing about being in charge—it gives him credibility. “I don’t like him, I just… like his moles,” he finishes awkwardly, and then all that credibility disappears.

Three pairs of eyes stare back at him: one amused, two incredulous. “His… moles?” Noya asks, cocking his head to the side in confusion.

Daichi coughs into his elbow to cover up his blush. But it’s too late to cover up what he’s said, so he continues on, trying his best to save the situation. “Yeah, you know, like the one under his eye and the ones… on his back…”

Ennoshita bursts out laughing at this, and Daichi gives him his best glare. Tanaka and Noya are silent for a moment before opening their mouths simultaneously.

Tanaka says, “Wow.”

Noya says, “That’s really gay, Daichi-san.”

Daichi says, “I’m not gay!” but the three second years remain unconvinced. Ennoshita, still shaking with laughter, pats him on the shoulder in what Daichi thinks is supposed to be a comforting gesture, but is actually more condescending than anything.

“Whatever you say,” he chuckles. “Better than being creepy though, right?”

“He’s still creepy,” Noya interjects. “Creepy and gay.”

“For the last time, I’m _not—_ ”

“Okay, creepy and bi.”

Tanaka and Noya nod in satisfaction as if they’ve solved a great mystery, then move to finish packing up their things. Daichi begins to panic, thinking that they absolutely cannot leave until they know that he _does not like Suga at all,_ but it’s too late. Once they are convinced of something, it takes a lot to change their minds, and Daichi definitely doesn’t have the energy for that at the moment. So instead he lets out a long, drawn out sigh, rubbing at his eyes with the heels of his hands.

“Don’t worry, they won’t tell anyone,” Ennoshita chimes from his locker. Tanaka and Noya bustle out of the club room, knocking elbows and shouting about some video game that Saeko had picked up for them earlier that week. “…Maybe.”

Daichi groans. He has a feeling that “maybe” isn’t going to be good enough.

 

 

He’s right, of course. Five days later, Daichi receives a text message from Suga that has his chest pounding and fingers shaking.

               **from: suga  
**_so i heard u like my moles?_

He stares at his phone for five whole minutes trying to formulate a response before another message comes in. Usually Daichi answers text messages alarmingly fast (a trait that many of his teammates tease him for), so he knows that Suga must have caught on to his uneasiness.

               **from: suga  
**_i have a secret one, u know. it’s hidden. nobody has ever seen it._

**from: suga  
**_except me of course (^_ _・_ _ω_ _・^ )_

Daichi’s really sweating now, because _what the hell?_ Is Suga… flirtingwith him? He’s not entirely sure what’s going on or how he should even answer that, but he knows that he has to say _something,_ or else Suga will be suspicious. So he starts typing.

               **to: suga  
**_You shouldn’t believe everything that Tanaka and Noya tell you._

It’s not what he means to say, and he wonders if he’s coming across as rude, but it’s too late to fix it now. He sees Suga typing up a response and swallows, nervous.

               **from: suga  
**_i know, but they were pretty convincing this time~_

**from: suga  
**_they also changed your name in my phone to sexy_back.mp3 and i’m not really sure why? but it’s funny so i’m keeping it lol_

There must be a way to get back at the two idiots. Maybe he could give them a particularly difficult training regimen at their next practice, or tell Shimizu-san to take a day off, or…

               **from: suga  
**_actually it was ennoshita who told me first, so don’t be too hard on them, k?_

…make that two idiots and one evil mastermind.

Daichi’s definitely panicking now as he types, wondering what other things Ennoshita could have possibly told Suga, imagining all the worst scenarios. Certainly he wouldn’t have said anything weird, right? Well, telling him he likes his moles is already weird, but… what else does he know? He rushes to answer before Suga can get in another message.

               **to: suga  
**   _What??_

**to: suga  
**_I don’t have a crush on you if that’s what you think_

And there it is. Daichi immediately regrets what he’s said, but once again, it’s too late. He really needs to learn how to think before pressing send.

He struggles to think of how to save this, but there’s no way to come back from something like “I don’t have a crush on you.” He can’t exactly say he was joking, because then Suga might think he _does_ have a crush on him (which he totally doesn’t), and he can’t ask him to pretend he never read it at all, because that would just be even more suspicious. Daichi curses his brain for not knowing how to deal with pressure in social situations. If this was a volleyball game, he’d be totally composed—he knows just what to do on the court and how to calm down his teammates in sticky conditions.

But this isn’t the court; it’s Suga. Suga who is Daichi’s vice captain, his setter, his best friend. Suga who knows him better than anyone else at Karasuno, or anyone else in the world, for that matter.

Suga who is typing. Daichi braces himself.

               **from: suga  
**                 _i never said u did? i was just joking around, i don’t really mind whether u like my moles or not_

**from: suga  
**_sorry if i made you uncomfortable somehow :(_

**from: suga  
**_daichi?????_

He’s apologizing. He’s apologizing, and Daichi feels like shit, and he doesn’t know what to do so he does the first thing that pops into his head: he turns his phone off.

 

 

Daichi can tell he’s messed up by the way Suga doesn’t smile at him the next morning. Or rather, he smiles, but it’s not the same warm grin that he’s used to. It’s stilted, careful, guilty—as if Suga is trying to avoid stepping on a mine. Daichi knows it’s his fault and he is not going to avoid him, no matter how easy that would be. He is a Grown Ass Adult (okay, almost…) and will deal with his problems the mature way.

The mature way obviously involves cornering Suga after morning practice, nearly scaring the shit out of him by looming too close.

“Daichi! You startled me,” Suga says, letting out a nervous laugh. Daichi tries his best not to stare at the mole under his eye. (It’s hard, though. That one’s his favorite.)

“Sorry,” he responds, clearing his throat.

Suga stares, clearly waiting for him to say something else.

“Uh,” Daichi continues. He can already feel the heat crawling up his neck again, and he curses how easily his body reacts to situations like this. Looking like a fool definitely won’t help him plead his case right now. “I mean, sorry for last night,” he says, nervously scratching at the back of his neck. “I was in kind of a weird mood.”

Suga tilts his head to the side, a confused smile on his face. _Cute,_ Daichi thinks, before he can stop himself. Great, now he’s really blushing.

“A weird mood?” Suga asks, chuckling. “You can say that again. You seemed really defensive, Daichi. What was up with that?”

Daichi hates how easy it is for Suga to read him. He’s the only person who is able to make him feel nervous, like he has to be careful about what he says, and it’s… frustrating. “I just didn’t want you to get the wrong idea, that’s all,” he says slowly, avoiding eye contact. “Whatever Ennoshita said, he was probably making it up. He just saw me staring at you in the club room and thought I… liked you, or something, but I was just zoning out, really. It’s nothing like that, I promise.”

There’s a beat of silence as Suga digests what he’s said. Daichi isn’t looking to see his expression, but he doesn’t need to. The tone of his voice tells him everything he needs to know.

“Oh, okay! Thanks for clearing things up,” he says. On the surface he sounds cheerful, but Daichi knows better than that. This is Suga’s fake happy voice—the one he uses with rude adults and sports rivals. Glancing upwards, he sees that there’s a fake smile to accompany it, and wonders what he did wrong.

“You’re welcome?” he responds. He’s about to ask Suga why he isn’t just talking to him normally, but before he can do that, Suga is speaking again.

“Well, I really have to go,” he says. He pulls on the straps of his sports bag and gives Daichi another meek smile. “I wanted to buy something from the school store before class. See ya!”

With that, Suga strides out of the club room, leaving Daichi more confused than ever.

 

 

Things _should_ return to normal, but they don’t. Not exactly. Daichi can tell that Suga is trying to act like nothing happened, but there’s still something weird about the way they interact that’s different from before. He doesn’t get it; did he say something to offend him? Was he not convincing enough? Does Suga still think he has a crush on him? Is he grossed out?

Whatever it is, it doesn’t sit right with Daichi. He spends a lot of time thinking about how he can change things back, but since he isn’t entirely sure what’s wrong, he comes up with nothing. He starts fumbling more and more receives at practice, so much that Coach Ukai tells him to take a time out to calm down. It’s the first time in his volleyball captain career that he’s been asked to step off the court. It’s unsettling, to say the least. He really needs to fix this.

He’s sipping out of his water bottle, frowning at nothing in particular when he feels someone’s eyes boring into him. Daichi turns and finds Tsukishima not just staring, but glaringright at him. His frown deepens.

“Yes?” Daichi asks, setting his water on the bench.

Tsukishima’s glare doesn’t falter. “I thought I told you not to be a dumbass,” he says.

Daichi’s brow furrows. He knows that Tsukishima isn’t the most polite person in the world, but he could at least show his captain a little respect. “What are you talking about?” he asks, because while he’d love to get angry, he’s also curious about what Tsukishima means. This is the second time he’s called him a dumbass and Daichi doesn’t know why. It would definitely do him more good to find out than to start some kind of fight.

Tsukishima lets out a dry laugh. “Seriously?” he says, eyebrows raising. “You and Sugawara-san have been dancing around each other like… like sugar plum fairies or some shit for a whole week. Just hurry up and make out so that the rest of the team doesn’t keep suffering from your lack of self-control.”

Sugar plum fairies? Okay, Daichi is not a _fairy;_ has Tsukishima even seen his arms? Suga on the other hand, he’s kind of lean and pretty, and—hold on, did he just say _make out_?

“What?” Daichi splutters, eyes widening in surprise. He allows himself a split second to imagine what that would be like (fingers running through Suga’s soft hair, Suga’s smooth skin brushing against his own, wet lips sliding together…) and then he stops before his blush becomes too evident.

“I know you said you don’t like him,” Tsukishima sighs, “but I think you do. And I think you know you do, too. So you better do something about it before Sugawara decides that liking you back isn’t worth it anymore.”

Daichi knows that Tsukishima is right. Dammit, Tsukishima is right about 90% of the time, after all. So maybe he does have a tiny (the TINIEST) crush on Suga. But how can he be so sure that Suga feels the same? What if he really does just think he’s gross?

“You…” Daichi starts, awkwardly motioning with his hands. Tsukishima gives him a look. “You think Suga likes me back?” he asks.

Tsukishima shrugs. “Would it change how you felt if he didn’t?”

Daichi frowns. He really hates being outsmarted by a first year.

 

 

He decides to get some outside opinions before making any kind of rash moves. He’s still not really sure where he wants things to go with Suga, after all; he only knows that he wants the awkward to disappear. Daichi starts by texting Asahi, the king of awkward, because Asahi is his second best friend after Suga and if anyone should know about his feelings, it’s him.

The exchange goes like this:

               **to: asahi  
**_Do you think Suga likes me?_

               **from: asahi  
**_????? is this a trick question…_

**to: asahi  
**_No. If I asked Suga out on a date, do you think he would say yes?_

**from: asahi  
**_!!!! are u gonna ask him out ?!?!?_

**to: asahi  
**_Maybe. Answer the question, Asahi_

**from: asahi  
**_oh sorry. i think he’d say yes… but wow, um, good for u!!_

**to: asahi  
**_Really? You think he would???_

**from: asahi  
**_yeah, he told me not to say anything to you but he’s liked you since first year_

**from: asahi  
**_WAIT OOPS… PLS DON’T TELL HIM I TOLD U!!!_

Daichi is shocked, to say the least. But there’s a warm feeling spreading in his gut, and it’s surprisingly pleasant. He wonders if being with Suga would feel even better—because if it would, then what has he been waiting for this whole time?

He opens up a new chat.

               **to: suga  
**_I lied. I might have a crush on you after all. I’ll take you out to dinner if you forgive me?_

**from: suga  
**_…….. are u literally asking me out via text right now_

**to: suga  
**_Yes? Is that bad? I thought I’d be too nervous in person. ;;;_

**from: suga  
**_not bad, i guess. so like u tho. idiot!!!! and i thought i misread everything…._

**to: suga  
**_So… is that a yes or a no? And what do you mean misread everything?_

**from: suga  
**   _do u honestly think i never noticed u staring at me lol_

**from: suga  
**   _it’s a yes, stupid :-) i’m free tonight… pick me up at 8!!!_

**to: suga  
**   _Okay._

**from: suga  
**_okay!!!_ _ღ_ _ゝ_ _◡╹)_ _ノ_ _♡_

 

 

The date goes well. They have dinner at Suga’s favorite ramen place—it’s nothing fancy, but it’s comfortable, and neither of them can stop grinning the entire time. Afterwards, Daichi takes Suga home and walks him up to the front door to say goodbye.

Suga steps up on his toes just slightly, enough to level his face with Daichi’s. Both boys’ cheeks are dusted pink. “This is how dates are supposed to end, right?” Suga asks, voice just above a whisper. Then he kisses him.

Daichi kisses back, soft and a little hesitant at first, but soon Suga is pulling him closer and pressing harder and all his nerves melt away. It feels just as he thought it would: warm and sweet and wonderful. It’s a little bit awkward, but that’s okay because first kisses are always awkward, and Daichi anticipates having lots of chances to improve.

When they pull apart, Suga is beaming up at him, and Daichi is breathless. He’s so beautiful like this, even more beautiful than usual, and Daichi can’t believe he spent so long denying his feelings. Just as he’s about to apologize for his stupidity (again), Suga leans up to peck Daichi on the lips one more time before turning to step through his front door.

“See you at practice tomorrow, _Captain!_ ” he calls out with a laugh.

Daichi blushes and licks his lips, the feeling of Suga’s mouth against his still lingering, warm and insistent.

 

 

“So… moles?” Suga asks one day while they’re cuddled up on the couch, his head pillowed on Daichi’s shoulder.

Daichi’s neck burns red and he averts his eyes, refusing to acknowledge Suga’s smug expression. “I was hoping you’d forgotten about that,” he admits with a sheepish laugh.

Suga props himself up, lifting his head, and grins. “I could never,” he says. “So, tell me! What do you like about them?”

This is humiliating. Daichi knows it is, but there’s nothing he can do now except tell the truth. “Uh,” he starts, clearing his throat. “I don’t really know? They’re just cute.” It’s an uninspiring answer, but he doesn’t even know how to begin to explain why they draw his attention. How can he possibly tell Suga that each of his moles calls out to him, like an x marking the spot on a treasure map? That he wants to kiss each and every one of them, to see what kinds of reactions he can pull out of Suga’s lips? Telling him any of that would be far too cheesy and far too embarrassing, and Daichi thinks he’s embarrassed himself enough already.

So instead, he leans over to softly press his lips against the mole next to Suga’s eye. Suga giggles, and Daichi files the sound away as the first of many reactions. “This one’s my favorite,” he says quietly, kissing it again.

“Oh?” Suga responds, laughing lightly. “But I haven’t even shown you my secret one yet.”

Daichi’s blush spreads to cover his entire face, and he knows at this moment that Suga is his favorite obsession by far. Being with him is better than volleyball, and definitely better than trains.

“I think you’re going to like it very much,” Suga continues, placing a trail of light kisses along Daichi’s neck. Daichi’s heart beat quickens.

 _Much_ better than trains.

**Author's Note:**

> please don't ask abt the trains.. i needed a random hobby and i just went with it lmao


End file.
